Construction of the
Edmonton Temple

..2018 - our 20th anniversary year.

Introduction

The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints[also known as the restored Church of Jesus
Christ or the Church of Jesus Christ, and with members
popularly referred to in error as Mormons--see the Church Style
Guide for naming preferences]
completed the temple in Edmonton in December of 1999. It was
announced in August of 1998; and the groundbreaking ceremony was
held on the 27th of February 1999 at the site (53rd Avenue exit on
the East side of the Whitemud Freeway). The temple serves Church
members in the five Edmonton Stakes (groups of congregations), the
Grande Prairie Stake and the Red Deer Stake.

For those who are interested in the progress of the original
construction (and the renovations of mid- and late-2011), but
for whom regular trips to the temple site were not practical, we
offer several series of exterior
photos with some limited commentary. Photo pages vary in
size from about 20 Kb for the smaller and simpler images (e.g. Photo 5)
to near 180 Kb for the larger and more complex images (e.g. Photo 114).

Series 9 - Renovation
Highlights, Summer and Autumn of 2011 and beyond.

"Edmonton Alberta Temple 1999-2009" - A Tenth
Anniversary movie (8:30; 340 Mb) is now available which
features a selection of photos of the building construction
from the above collection, photos of the open house and
dedication, all the temple presidencies, and 2009 temple
workers and staff. Its size makes it impractical to post on
this website; but if you send me an email
request, I will email you the .VOB file if your email
client and Internet service provider can handle a 340 Mb
attachment.

The Open House for the Edmonton Temple was held December 3-4 and
6-7, 1999 at which many visitors were welcomed and who enjoyed a
tour of the building interior. The dedication was held in seven
sessions on December 11th and 12th, 1999.

.

Ordinance work by members may be arranged by calling 780+434-7436
to book an appointment time. Voice mail is available when the
temple is closed. The FAX number is 780+431-0213.

All ordinances (Baptisms, Confirmation, Initiatory, Endowment and
Sealing) are available to Patrons when the Temple is Open.

Endowment sessions (prior telephone booking recommended) are held
Tuesdays through Saturdays as follows:

Spanish sessions on these six Saturdays in 2018: January 13, March
10, May 12, July 14, September 8 and November 10, all at 2:30 pm
session.
Tagalog sessions on these two Saturdays in 2018: February 10 and
August 11, both at 2:30 pm session..
..
Sunday attire is most suitable for entering the Temple. To be
sensitive to those with allergic reactions, please refrain from
using perfumes in the Temple.

.

The temple will be closed on certain holidays such as Christmas,
Boxing Day and New Years and for the Saturdays of General
Conference; please be sure to call ahead.

.

The temple will also be closed for maintenance for two weeks twice
a year, usually sometime during January and also in July. Again,
please call ahead to confirm exact dates and times.

In 2018 the temple will be closed for renovations from 23
June 2018 to 4 December 2018.
Please call ahead to be sure of exact dates of operation and
session times after the renovations are complete.
We encourage all to take the opportunity to enjoy the
blessings of temple worship.

This website is hosted by Open Concept Internet, Inc., which has
graciously provided the space we need, and a server to respond to
visitor requests since early 1999. Many thanks to Open Concept
on behalf of all our visitors.

To
the right is a map fragment showing the location of the temple
("A" in pink teardrop pointer) at the 53rd Avenue exit, just
east of the Witemud Freeway (Alberta Highway #2). North is
toward top of map. Click on the map for its enlargement, or a more
detailed map, or try Google
Maps with search key "Edmonton Temple 14335 53rd Ave,
Edmonton, AB"

The Church's House of the Lord website [cookies (cookie caution)] provides information
about temples world-wide, their purpose, and answers to
frequently asked questions. It also contains a section on
temples and family history.

the Gospel
Topics section {under "Scriptures and
Study" and "Learn More", select "Gospel Topics"} contains
a tonne of articles {browse
alphabetically by title} and videos for study and
learning. Included are some challenging topics such as:

Gospel
Topics also has a "Learning"
section that identifies different learning methods for
those who "seek learning, even by study and also by
faith" (D&C 88:118).

Elder Paul D. Pieper, the General Authority
responsible for Church Curriculum, stated {downloadable
video: How
Does the Gospel Topics section help
me?} that the new and improved Gospel
Topics site is specifically designed to empower
parents to be able to "answer and address all of the
questions that are coming to their children in
modern society ...”. A few other
sources may also be helpful concerning the coming forth
of the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham, and a few
other historical items which may be of interest.

A 1977 Ensign
article "By
the Gift and Power of God" by Richard
L. Anderson (then a professor of history and
ancient scripture at Brigham Young University) quotes
Edward Stevenson saying that Martin Harris told him
(about the means of translation of the Book of Mormon by
the Prophet Joseph Smith) the following: “He said that the Prophet
possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to
translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and
for convenience he then used the seer stone.”
In the same article, Oliver Cowdery, who wrote for
Joseph during the translation, commented as follows: “Day after day I continued
uninterrupted to write from his mouth as he
translated, with the Urim and Thummim, or as the
Nephites would have said, ‘interpreters,’ the
history, or record called ‘The Book of Mormon’.”
Oliver is further quoted as follows: “I wrote with my own pen the
entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell
from the lips of the Prophet as he translated it by
the gift and power of God by means of the Urim and
Thummim, or as it is called by that book, holy
interpreters. I beheld with my eyes and handled with
my hands the gold plates from which it was
translated. I also beheld the Interpreters. That
book is true. … I wrote it myself as it fell from
the lips of the Prophet.”

A 1992 adaptation (as a 1993 Ensign
article) of a seminar for Mission Presidents
authored by Elder
Russell M. Nelson entitled "A
Treasured Testament" describes some
of the instruments and methods used during the
translation of the Book of Mormon in the late 1820s by
those who participated in the work. The article quotes
David Whitmer as follows: “Joseph
Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put
his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his
face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the
spiritual light would shine. A piece of something
resembling parchment would appear, and on that
appeared the writing. One character at a time would
appear, and under it was the interpretation in
English. Brother Joseph would read off the English
to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and
when it was written down and repeated to Brother
Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would
disappear, and another character with the
interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon
was translated by the gift and power of God, and not
by any power of man.” The article
also highlights some of the Hebraisms {evidences of the
book's Hebrew origins} found in the resulting English.

The D&C and Church History Seminary Teacher Manual
released Feb 2014 (as 2013
Web Pages with Table of Contents linking to each
lesson separately; or as as 2013
PDF file at 5.5 Mb for the complete manual)
provides helpful information on the challenging aspects
of some historical events. A few of these items include:

The latter deals with the origins of the Book of
Abraham, "A
Translation of some ancient Records that have
fallen into our hands from the catacombs of
Egypt. The writings of Abraham while he was in
Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by
his own hand, upon papyrus" (from
the introduction to the
Book of Abraham). The 2013 manual states,
quoting the 2001
Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, p. 28)
that “the Prophet
Joseph Smith never communicated his method of
translating these records. As with all other
scriptures, a testimony of the truthfulness of
these writings is primarily a matter of faith.
The greatest evidence of the truthfulness of the
book of Abraham is not found in an analysis of
physical evidence nor historical background, but
in prayerful consideration of its content and
power.” The 2001
Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, p. 28)
further asks and answers a query about the dates of
these manuscripts, as follows: "Why Did the Prophet Joseph Smith
Say He Translated the Writings of Abraham When the
Manuscripts Do Not Date to Abraham’s Time? In
1966 eleven fragments of papyri once possessed
by the Prophet Joseph Smith were discovered in
the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
They were given to the Church and have been
analyzed by scholars who date them between about
100 B.C. and A.D. 100. A common objection to the
authenticity of the book of Abraham is that the
manuscripts are not old enough to have been
written by Abraham, who lived almost two
thousand years before Christ. Joseph Smith never
claimed that the papyri were autographic
(written by Abraham himself), nor that they
dated from the time of Abraham. It is common to
refer to an author’s works as “his” writings,
whether he penned them himself, dictated them to
others, or others copied his writings later."

The Foundations
of the Restoration Teacher Manual (PDF
version) of 2015 for Institute classes covers
early Church history to educate and generate
discussion regarding sensitive topics. It includes
a section on the Coming
Forth of the Book of Mormon (Lesson 3), including
descriptions of the methods and instruments employed. It
also includes sections on plural marriage, the Mountain
Meadows Massacre, the Revelation on the Priesthood, and
many others.

"Priesthood
keys direct women as well as men, and
priesthood ordinances and priesthood authority
pertain to women as well as men."

"In an
address to the Relief Society, President
Joseph Fielding Smith, then President of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said this:
“While the sisters have not been given the
Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon
them, that does not mean that the Lord has not
given unto them authority. … A person may have
authority given to him, or a sister to her, to
do certain things in the Church that are
binding and absolutely necessary for our
salvation, such as the work that our sisters
do in the House of the Lord. They have
authority given unto them to do some great and
wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and
binding just as thoroughly as are the
blessings that are given by the men who hold
the Priesthood.” ..."

"We are not
accustomed to speaking of women having the
authority of the priesthood in their Church
callings, but what other authority can it be?
When a woman—young or old—is set apart to
preach the gospel as a full-time missionary,
she is given priesthood authority to perform a
priesthood function. The same is true when a
woman is set apart to function as an officer
or teacher in a Church organization under the
direction of one who holds the keys of the
priesthood. Whoever functions in an office or
calling received from one who holds priesthood
keys exercises priesthood authority in
performing her or his assigned duties."

"Elder M.
Russell Ballard gave these teachings: ... “Our
Church doctrine places women equal to and yet
different from men. God does not regard either
gender as better or more important than the
other. … When men and women go to the temple,
they are both endowed with the same power,
which is priesthood power. … Access to the
power and the blessings of the priesthood is
available to all of God’s children.” ... "

The April, 2016 General Conference (watch,
listen or read) featured several very helpful
talks concerning faith challenges:

"Where
Two or Three Are Gathered," You Can Feel
The Savior's Love Again, by President Henry B. Eyring,
First Counselor in the First Presidency.
He spoke of those who want to make a reality of “Draw
near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me
diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall
receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”
(D&C 88:62–63), yet who had found that their
"feelings of love for the Lord and His love for them
were lessening. [And who] ... expressed a fear that if
they could not regain in full those feelings of love
for the Savior and His Church, the trials and tests
they faced would finally overcome their faith." He
further mentioned that this test is not a new one:
"They are not alone in their concern, nor is their
test a new one. During His mortal ministry, the Savior
gave us the parable of the seed and the sower. The
seed was the word of God. The sower was the Lord. The
survival of the seed and its growth depended on the
condition of the soil." He pointed out that "Those who
are saddened by the loss of the joy they once had are
the blessed ones. Some do not see the withering of
faith within themselves. Satan is clever. He
tells those he wishes to be miserable that the joy
they once felt was childish self-delusion." President
Eyring also noted the scripture: “Wherefore, be of
good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with
you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record
of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the
living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to
come” (D&C 68:4–6).

"Do
I Believe?" by Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young
Women General President.
Sis. Oscarson spoke of the principles of the restored
gospel, and asked "We have a knowledge of these
things, but do we believe them? If these things are
true, then we have the greatest message of hope and
help that the world has ever known. Believing them is
a matter of eternal significance for us and for those
we love." She pointed out that "To believe, we need to
get the gospel from our heads into our hearts!" She
suggested that "We need only to keep feasting [on
gospel truths] and not heed those who would make fun
of our beliefs or those who delight to create doubts
or those who find fault with Church leaders and
doctrine. It is a choice we make daily—to choose faith
over doubt." She quoted Elder M. Russell Ballard who
has urged us to “stay in the boat, use your life
jackets, and hold on with both hands.”

"Tomorrow
the Lord Will Do Wonders among You,"
by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.Elder Holland
provided advice about the fact that
"none of us want tomorrow, or the day
after that, to destroy the wonderful
feelings we have had this weekend
[attending General Conference]. We
want to hold fast to the spiritual
impressions we have had and the
inspired teachings we have heard. But
it is inevitable that after heavenly
moments in our lives, we, of
necessity, return to earth, so to
speak, where sometimes less-than-ideal
circumstances again face us."

Said
he in closing (my emphasis): "Realizing
that we all have to come down
from peak experiences to deal
with the regular vicissitudes
of life, may I offer this
encouragement as general
conference concludes.

First of all, if in
the days ahead you not only see
limitations in those around you
but also find elements in your own
life that don’t yet measure up to
the messages you have heard this
weekend, please don’t be cast down
in spirit and don’t give up. The
gospel, the Church, and these
wonderful semiannual gatherings
are intended to give hope and
inspiration. They are not intended
to discourage you. Only the
adversary, the enemy of us all,
would try to convince us that the
ideals outlined in general
conference are depressing and
unrealistic, that people don’t
really improve, that no one really
progresses. And why does Lucifer
give that speech? Because he knows
he can’t improve, he can’t
progress, that worlds without end
he will never have a bright
tomorrow. He is a miserable man
bound by eternal limitations, and
he wants you to be miserable too.
Well, don’t fall for that. With
the gift of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ and the strength of heaven
to help us, we can improve, and
the great thing about the gospel
is we get credit for trying, even
if we don’t always succeed.

When there was a
controversy in the early Church
regarding who was entitled to
heaven’s blessings and who wasn’t,
the Lord declared to the Prophet
Joseph Smith, “Verily I say unto
you, [the gifts of God] are given
for the benefit of those who love
me and keep … my commandments, and
[for them] that seeketh so to do.”
Boy, aren’t we all thankful for
that added provision “and …
seeketh so to do”! That has been a
lifesaver because sometimes that
is all we can offer! We take some
solace in the fact that if God
were to reward only the perfectly
faithful, He wouldn’t have much of
a distribution list.

Please remember
tomorrow, and all the days after
that, that the Lord blesses those
who want to improve, who accept
the need for commandments and try
to keep them, who cherish
Christlike virtues and strive to
the best of their ability to
acquire them. If you stumble in
that pursuit, so does everyone;
the Savior is there to help you
keep going. If you fall, summon
His strength. Call out like Alma,
“O Jesus, … have mercy on me.” He
will help you get back up. He will
help you repent, repair, fix
whatever you have to fix, and keep
going. Soon enough you will have
the success you seek.

“As you desire of me
so it shall be done unto you,” the
Lord has declared.

“… Put your trust in
that Spirit which leadeth to do
good—yea, to do justly, to walk
humbly, to judge righteously. …

“… [Then] whatsoever
you desire of me [in]
righteousness, … you shall
receive.”
I love that doctrine! It says
again and again that we are going
to be blessed for our desire
to do good,
even as we actually strive to be
so. And it reminds us that to
qualify for those blessings, we
must make certain we do not deny
them to others: we are to deal
justly, never unjustly, never
unfairly; we are to walk humbly,
never arrogantly, never
pridefully; we are to judge
righteously, never
self-righteously, never
unrighteously.

My brothers and
sisters, the first great
commandment of all eternity is to
love God with all of our heart,
might, mind, and strength—that’s
the first great commandment. But
the first great truth of all
eternity is that God loves us with
all of His heart, might, mind, and
strength. That love is the
foundation stone of eternity, and
it should be the foundation stone
of our daily life. Indeed it is
only with that reassurance burning
in our soul that we can have the
confidence to keep trying to
improve, keep seeking forgiveness
for our sins, and keep extending
that grace to our neighbor.
President George Q. Cannon once
taught: “No matter how serious the
trial, how deep the distress, how
great the affliction, [God] will
never desert us. He never has, and
He never will. He cannot do it. It
is not His character [to do so]. …
He will [always] stand by us. We
may pass through the fiery
furnace; we may pass through deep
waters; but we shall not be
consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall
emerge from all these trials and
difficulties the better and purer
for them.”

Now, with that
majestic devotion ringing from
heaven as the great constant in
our lives, manifested most purely
and perfectly in the life, death,
and Atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ, we can escape the
consequences of both sin and
stupidity—our own or that of
others—in whatever form they may
come to us in the course of daily
living. If we give our heart to
God, if we love the Lord Jesus
Christ, if we do the best we can
to live the gospel, then
tomorrow—and every other day—is
ultimately going to be
magnificent, even if we don’t
always recognize it as such. Why?
Because our Heavenly Father wants
it to be! He wants to bless us. A
rewarding, abundant, and eternal
life is the very object of His
merciful plan for His children! It
is a plan predicated on the truth
“that all things work together for
good to them that love God.” So
keep loving. Keep trying. Keep
trusting. Keep believing. Keep
growing. Heaven is cheering you
on today, tomorrow, and forever.“Hast thou not known?
hast thou not heard?” Isaiah
cried.

“[God] giveth power
to the faint; and to them that
have no might he increaseth
strength. …

“… They that wait
upon [Him] shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles. …

“For … the Lord … God
will hold [their] right hand,
saying unto [them], Fear not; I
will help thee.”

Brothers and sisters,
may a loving Father in Heaven
bless us tomorrow to remember how
we felt today. May He bless us to
strive with patience and
persistence toward the ideals we
have heard proclaimed this
conference weekend, knowing that
His divine love and unfailing help
will be with us even when we
struggle—no, will be with us
especially when we struggle.

If gospel standards
seem high and the personal
improvement needed in the days
ahead seems out of reach, remember
Joshua’s encouragement to his
people when they faced a daunting
future. “Sanctify yourselves,” he
said, “for to morrow the Lord will
do wonders among you.” I declare
that same promise. It is the
promise of this conference. It is
the promise of this Church. It is
the promise of Him who performs
those wonders, who is Himself
“Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, ... The Prince of Peace.” Of
Him I bear witness. Of Him I am a
witness. And to Him this
conference stands as a testament
of His ongoing work in this great
latter day."

The Joseph
Smith Papers Project (portal)
has posted (Sept 2016) an article What
Is the Council of Fifty, Why You
Haven’t Heard of It Before. The
authors note that "The publication of the
Nauvoo-era minutes of this council is another
step in the Church History Department’s ongoing
effort to publish all of Joseph Smith’s papers.
Because these minutes have never been open to
research, this publication is expected to
generate significant attention from the media
and historians." By way of background on the
formation of the Council of Fifty, the authors
also note that "By March [1844], significant
opposition was growing toward the Church in and
around Nauvoo, in part because of the practice
of plural marriage and the Saints’ growing
political power. Members of the Council of Fifty
[established that same month] were drawn both to
the possibility of relocating significant
numbers of Saints outside of the United States
[Texas, for example, was not then part of the
union], where they could create their own
government, and to the possibility of creating a
better form of government within the United
States. Though council members generally used
the term theocracy to describe what they viewed
as an ideal form of government for the kingdom
of God, their model also incorporated democratic
elements. They believed that a “theodemocratic”
government would protect the rights of all
citizens, allow for dissent and free discussion,
involve Latter-day Saints and others, and
increase righteousness in preparation for the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ." The article has
the following sections:

Where Did the Minutes for the
Nauvoo Council of Fifty Come From?,

How Did the Council Relate to the Church?

How Did the Council Get Its Name?

Who Belonged to the Council in Nauvoo?

What Did the Council Accomplish during the Nauvoo
Era?

What Can Latter-day Saints Today Learn from the
Minutes of the Nauvoo Council of Fifty?

The Church News has also posted
(20 Sept 2016) a news item, Council
of Fifty
Minutes to Be Published in Joseph Smith
Papers Release, in which they note
that "The content of the minutes for many years
has been the subject of intense speculation by
persons interested in Church history because the
document has not been available for public
inspection. The minutes became part of the
collection of records of the First Presidency,
where they remained throughout the 20th and
early 21st centuries, until they were
transferred to the Church History Department in
2010."

When the Council was
established, Joseph Smith expected the members
to provide their candid views, and to be
tolerant of other views also. The authors
include the following by way of example (my
emphasis).

"Perhaps the most powerful
teaching in the entire record of the Nauvoo
Council of Fifty is Joseph Smith’s
statement on religious liberty from the
April 11, 1844, meeting. Arguing that the
agency God gave His children requires mortals
also to grant and safeguard the freedom of
religion, Joseph Smith declared: “God cannot
save or damn a man only on the principle that
every man acts, chooses and worships for
himself; hence the importance of
thrusting from us every spirit of bigotry and
intolerance towards a mans religious
sentiments, that spirit which has drenched the
earth with blood— When a man feels the least
temptation to such intolerance he ought to
spurn it from him. It becomes our duty on
account of this intolerance and corruption—the
inalienable right of man being to think as he
pleases—worship as he pleases &c being the
first law of every thing that is sacred—to
guard every ground all the days of our lives.
I will appeal to every man in this council
beginning at the youngest that when he arrives
to the years of Hoary age he will have to say
that the principles of intolerance and bigotry
never had a place in this kingdom, nor in my
breast, and that he is even then ready to die
rather than yield to such things. Nothing can
reclaim the human mind from its ignorance,
bigotry, superstition &c but those grand
and sublime principles of equal rights and
universal freedom to all men. ... When I have
used every means in my power to exalt a mans
mind, and have taught him righteous principles
to no effect—he is still inclined in his
darkness, yet the same principles of
liberty and charity would ever be manifested
by me as though he embraced it. Hence in
all governments or political transactions a
mans religious opinions should never be called
in question. A man should be judged by the law
independent of religious prejudice.”"

The content of the minutes
themselves can presently be ordered in print at
Administrative
Records, Council of Fifty, Minutes, March
1844–January 1846. The foregoing contains
also a Table of Contents for the minutes, and a
list of members of the Council. Presumably, the
digitized content itself will also be released
on-line in due course as with other content from
the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

The October, 2016 General
Conference (watch,
listen or read) also featured helpful
talks concerning faith challenges:

"To
Whom Shall We Go?," By Elder M.
Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
He asked: "Where
will you go to be taught about a Savior
who is your best friend, who not only
suffered for your sins but who also
suffered 'pains and afflictions and
temptations of every kind' so 'that his
bowels may be filled with mercy, according
to the flesh, that he may know according
to the flesh how to succor his people
according to their infirmities,'
including, I believe, the infirmity of
loss of faith?"
And he also asked: "Where will you go to
learn more about Heavenly Father’s plan
for our eternal happiness and peace, a
plan that is filled with wondrous
possibilities, teachings, and guidance for
our mortal and eternal lives? Remember,
the plan of salvation gives mortal life
meaning, purpose, and direction."
He also pointed out that "... accepting and living
the gospel of Christ can be challenging.
It has always been thus, and it ever will
be. Life can be like hikers ascending a
steep and arduous trail. It is a natural
and normal thing to occasionally pause on
the path to catch our breath, to
recalculate our bearings, and to
reconsider our pace. Not everyone needs to
pause on the path, but there is nothing
wrong with doing so when your
circumstances require. In fact, it can be
a positive thing for those who take full
advantage of the opportunity to refresh
themselves with the living water of the
gospel of Christ."

At a BYU Women's Conference on 4 May 2017, religion
professors addressed "why people are staying" in the LDS
church (Deseret
News item). The news item reports that Professor
Barbara Morgan Gardner shared personal experiences she’s
had with her students at BYU. As a professor, Gardner
said she will often “talk to people who stay in the
church and people who leave the church,” with her focus
on “why people are staying.” After meeting a number of
students and learning they’ve had struggles with
missions, church doctrine, and same-sex attraction,
Gardner will bluntly ask them, “Well then, why are you
staying? Why are you still active? Why are you here?”
“Why they stay, or why they leave, is not based on
circumstance. It’s based on character. It’s based on the
individual. It’s based on the price they’ve paid to come
to know and come to understand and come to be obedient
to the teachings and the life of Jesus Christ.”
Professor Brad Wilcox's subject was “Lest Thou Forget:
Staying Converted to the Gospel,” perhaps referring to
Elder Ronald A Rasband's October 2016 Conference talk: "Lest
Thou Forget." An earlier Deseret News item from
November of 2016 "Mormons
with doubts shouldn't give up faith without
'intellectual and spiritual kicking and screaming',"
contains other helpful comments by Elder Bruce C. Hafen,
an emeritus Church general authority, and Robert Millet,
former dean of religious education at BYU.

<next, future>

.

Now back to other Church websites [all with cookies (cookie caution)]:

the Daughters in My Kingdom website
helps sisters discover the faith-promoting principles and
doctrines contained in the book with the same name, and
containing a description of the history and work of the
Women's Relief Society;

Disability Resources Online provides
help for members with disabilities and their families (and
also for leaders and members) so that all may participate
more fully and more comfortably in Church meetings and
activities;

The LDS Charities website provides
information on a charitable program that was established
by the Church in 1996 to enhance Church involvement in
relief and development activities throughout the world.
Humanitarian projects are funded by donations from Church
members and others;

The Church Website on same-sex attraction offers love,
understanding and hope, and is titled: “Love
One
Another: A Discussion on Same-Sex Attraction.” It
provides enlightenment on this complex matter which
touches on the things we care about most: our basic
humanity, our relationship to family, our identity and
potential as children of God, how we treat each other, and
what it means to be disciples of Christ;

the Preventing
Suicide website notes that "It is a complicated
issue that we don’t fully comprehend. There is seldom a
single cause or a simple solution. Whether you struggle
with thoughts of suicide, know someone who does, or have
lost a loved one to suicide, the resources on this site
can help; ..."

the Institutes Website provides
information on Institute courses and course materials,
finding an Institute and more;

the Seminary
Website - Seek Learning by Study and by Faith. It
also provides sections on music, scripture mastery, etc.,
for seminary-age High School students;

The Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) website,
serves faithful young members of the Church who wish to
improve their education, find a good job, and better serve
their family, the Church, and their community. It contains
sections on qualifying for a loan and how to apply,
frequently asked questions, PEF success stories, and more;

listen to Mormon Channel, the Church’s
24-hour-a-day audio station featuring gospel-oriented
programs, music, interviews, and much more. Access is
through live Internet streaming, podcasts, and iPhone
applications, as well as on HD radio;

Inaugurated in mid-2012, the unofficial website Interpreter
is a "Journal of Mormon Scripture, a nonprofit, independent,
peer-reviewed educational journal focused on the scriptures
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Publications are available free of charge, with our goal to
increase understanding of scripture."